Combined bottle cap and opener



Feb. 11, 1964 J RANDER 3,120,899

COMBINED BOTTLE CAP AND OPENER Filed D80. 7, 1961 INVENTOR. John BruceRender BY Moxwell E.Sporrow ATTORNEY.

United States Patent sazasss COMBINED EgTTLE QAP AND OPENER John BruceReader, 129 W. 46th St, New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 7, 1961, Ser. No.157,769 Claims. (Cl. 21546) This invention relates to a combined bottlecap and opener and is a continuationin-part of co-pending applicationSerial No. 95,149, filed March 13, 1961, now abandoned.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bottle capintegrally incorporating means to manually peel off the cap and thusseparate it from the neck of the bottle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cap openerwhich is an integral part of the cap and which requires only arelatively slight touch of the fingers of a hand and a few turns to pushthe cap open.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide apractical, efficient and economical combined crown bottle cap and openerwhich will fill a long-felt need and eliminate the necessity of carryingextra openers, such as, for example, to picnics or other outdoorgatherings; and that will also eliminate the hasty and sometimesannoying searching for an opener in the picnic outfit or kitchen drawer,or while traveling in a car or other vehicle.

The device, according to the invention, provides an immediate at-handinstrumentality, as the opener means are part of the cap itself. Thispractical and eificient attachment to the crown cap is whatdistinguishes and differentiates it from any other prior cap opener,being always attached as a part of the crown cap, which (as will beevident from what follows) rolls off the retaining teeth or corrugationsof the skirt of the crown cap, thereby loosening it and lifting off thecap more easily than conventional openers. It will also eliminate thehurting, scratching or other injury to the hand of the operator whichoften occurs with other hand openers. The device is easy to use andunfurls with a few twists of the fingers.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combinedcrown cap and opener which can be readily manufactured and which can beused with slight alteration by manufacturers of crown caps currently inuse.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a crown cap forbottles and the like, which is integrally provided with an extendingportion angularly disposed with relation to the crimped skirt of the capand which, together with a raised portion in substantial contact withthe skirt, is adapted to be easily curled or wound by a key engagingtherewith, whereby the cap may be readily removed from the container.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bottleclosure comprising a cap having a depending skirt portion, an extensionintegrally connected to the skirt portion, and a raised portion on theextension in proximity to the skirt, both the cap and extension beingmade of the same material, the extension being angularly disposed withrelation to the skirt portion whereby the meeting angular edge of theextension with the perimetric edge of the skirt forms an angle forfacilitating the ripping of a portion of the skirt by a key, aided bythe leverage achieved by riding over the raised portion, when the keyengaging the extension is turned.

These and other objects and certain advantages of the invention willappear as the description proceeds, it being understood, however, thatit is not intended that the invention be limited to the exact detailsdescribed herein which illustrate two embodiments of many which may berealized or obtained as a result of the knowledge gained through orgleaned from an understanding of the invention; and it is furtherintended that there be included as part of the invention all suchobvious changes and modifications thereof as would occur to a personskilled in the art to which this invention pertains and as would fallwithin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a combined crown cap and opener according to apreferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views similar to modifications of the article;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a combined crown cap and opener similar to FIG.1 applied to the neck portion of a bottle;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 4, showing the cap in theprocess of being sheared for removal from the bottle;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the crown cap being removedfrom the bottle; and

FIG. 7 is a view of a combined crown cap and opener, according to amodification of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is disclosed acrown cap 11; made of metal and which may be of conventional design. Anangularly disposed tongue or extension 12 projects from t re corrugatedskirt portion 14. It is material that the edge 12a of the tongue orextension 12 form an angle with the skirt M of the cap 11, as indicatedby the letter A. The purpose of the relative disposition of theextension or tongue 12 with relation to the skirt 14- of the cap 11 willbe explained below. Afi'ixed to the curled terminus 15 of tongue 12 is akey 13. The cap 11 is afiixed to the lip portion 17 of the neck portion10 of a bottle or other suitable container to cover the opening of thebottle in conventional manner.

As heretofore stated, it is desired that the tongue or extension 12 beso disposed with relation to the skirt 14 that an angle A may be formedso that, as the key is being turned, the ripping of the skirt 14 will befacilitated. In order to further facilitate and to provide a leverage toaid in the ripping of the skirt 14, there is provide a raised portionindicated in FIG. 1 as a bead 19, in FIG. 2 as a bar 1%, and in FIG. 3as a crimp 1%, substantially coincident with the apex of angle A.

It is quite apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6 that by turning the key as, forexample, with fingers of a hand 18, the material comprising the tongueor extension 12 will first be rolled (as indicated at a) and then, bycontinuous turning of the key 13 over the raised portion 19a, a por tionof the skirt 14 will be ripped or torn away thereby facilitating theeasy lifting of the cap 11 from the neck ill of the bottle.

If further desired, the handle portion of key 13 may be decorated orcarry an advertisement or imprint of the bottler, or other indicia.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to these preciseembodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effectedtherein without departing from the scope and/ or spirit of the inventionexcept as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A container closure comprising a crown cap having a depending skirtportion, an extension integrally connected to said skirt portion andbeing angularly disposed with relation to said skirt portion whereby themeeting angular edge of said extension with the perimetric edge of saidskirt portion forms an acute angle, a raised portion disposed on saidextension and substantially coincident with the apex of said angle, anda key afiixed to the free terminal portion of said extension, saidextension, said raised portion and said key cooperating in relation tosaid angle and in such a manner that when said key is turned saidextension will be rolled over said key FIG. 1 showing w and over saidraised portion and then a part of said skirt portion will be rolled oversaid key, whereby the cap may be removed from the container.

2. A container closure comprising a crown cap having a depending skirtportion, an extension integrally connected to said skirt portion andbeing angulariy disposed with relation to said skirt portion whereby themeeting angular edge of said extension wi h the perimetric edge of saidskirt portion forms an acute angle, a raised portion disposed on saidextension and substantially coincident with the apex of said angle, saidclosure having substantially uniform, uninterrupted strength, and a keyaffixed to the free terminal portion of said extension, said extension,said raised portion and said key cooperating in relation to said angleand in such manner that when said key is turned said extension will berolled over said key and over said raised portion and then a part ofsaid d skirt portion Wiil be rolled over said key, whereby the cap maybe removed from the cointainer.

3. A container closure according to claim 1 wherei said raised portioncomprises a bead.

4. A container closure according to claim 1 wherein said raised portioncomprises a bar.

5. A container closure according to claim 1 wherein said raised portioneorrnrises a crimp.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A CONTAINER CLOSURE COMPRISING A CROWN CAP HAVING A DEPENDING SKIRTPORTION, AN EXTENSION INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SKIRT PORTION ANDBEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RELATION TO SAID SKIRT PORTION WHEREBY THEMEETING ANGULAR EDGE OF SAID EXTENSION WITH THE PERIMETRIC EDGE OF SAIDSKIRT PORTION FORMS AN ACUTE ANGLE, A RAISED PORTION DISPOSED ON SAIDEXTENSION AND SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENT WITH THE APEX OF SAID ANGLE, ANDA KEY AFFIXED TO THE FREE TERMINAL PORTION OF SAID EXTENSION, SAIDEXTENSION, SAID RAISED PORTION AND SAID KEY COOPERATING IN RELATION TOSAID ANGLE AND IN SUCH A MANNER THAT WHEN SAID KEY IS TURNED SAIDEXTENSION WILL BE ROLLED OVER SAID KEY AND OVER SAID RAISED PORTION ANDTHEN A PART OF SAID SKIRT PORTION WILL BE ROLLED OVER SAID KEY, WHEREBYTHE CAP MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTAINER.